G.I. Joe is a franchise that seems very well-suited to video games, but the games have been few and far between over the years. The upcoming G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra from Maple Powered Games and Freedom Games looks to rectify that scarcity. Wrath of Cobra will be the Joes' first beat 'em up. It's due out this year on Steam and Switch. To ease the wait, be sure to watch the new trailer.
Features:
- Retro Gameplay in a Modern Era: Wrath of Cobra takes the classic arcade beat 'em up and brings it into the modern age: Easy to play, hard to master, and smoother than a ride in a H.I.S.S. Want to play with your friends? The game supports local multiplayer (eg. from your couch) and online co-op!
- Play as Classic Heroes: Fight Cobra as your favorite G.I. JOE heroes, painstakingly recreated in beautiful pixel art. The differences between characters aren’t just cosmetic: Each hero has different movesets and unique abilities. From the fast and nimble Snake Eyes to the rough and tumble Roadblock, each character is true to form!
- Battle Iconic Villains: Cobra isn't just the Cobra Commander, it's also its legions! Face hordes of troopers, armored Alley Vipers, artificial B.A.T.s, armed with some of the most iconic weapon systems in the franchise, including the H.I.S.S., C.L.A.W., and the notorious Trubble Bubble.
- Retro-Infused Soundtrack: Foil the Commander's plot to the beat of classic G.I. JOE themes, reimagined by industry veterans at Kid Katana Records, bringing a modern twist to classic arcade music!
- Post-Launch Support: Like Destro's plots, Wrath of Cobra will continue with extensive post-launch support, bringing more G.I. JOE heroes into the fray, adding new game modes, levels, and more to keep the G.I. JOE legacy alive!
My impression of the trailer is that while the art style looks a bit rough, the game really seems to have worked in a lot of characters, vehicles, and settings from the G.I. Joe franchise. The trailer could really use an instrumental version of the classic cartoon's theme, though. And where's the co-op footage? At any rate, Wrath of Cobra looks promising, and we look forward to playing it in local and online co-op.
G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra will arrive on Switch and Steam sometime in 2024. It's a shame that Xbox and PlayStation versions haven't been announced!